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City Islanders' Bill Becher not surprised to hear Bob Lilley is returning to Rochester

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City Islanders head coach Bill Becher, shown during a 2013 friendly against Major League Soccer's Philadelphia Union, will find himself coaching against former teammate and close friend Bob Lilley whenever Harrisburg squares off against the Rochester Rhinos.
(Joe Hermitt, PennLive.com)

Then, several days ago, the Harrisburg City Islanders head
coach learned from a trusted source that Bob Lilley, his good friend and former
teammate, was returning to upstate New York to resume his professional soccer coaching
career.

Lilley, who graduated from Carlisle High School in 1984,
returned to the Harrisburg area following his 2011 departure from the Rhinos.
He's been coaching youth soccer teams affiliated with Manheim-based club
Pennsylvania Classics since.

City Islanders head coach Bill Becher, shown here, was not surprised when he learned Bob Lilley was returning to the Rochester Rhinos as head coach.Patriot-News file

"Obviously, Bobby's a great coach," said Becher, who played
alongside Lilley indoors for one season with the Hershey Impact and six with
the Harrisburg Heat.

"It's just what he's meant to do. So it really didn't
surprise me because I just see him on the sideline doing his thing. He's very
competitive, very organized, he's had a great career and he's been able to get
great results.

"With him back in Rochester, obviously they'll get back to their
winning ways very quickly," Becher added. "There's no doubt about that."

Inducted into the USL Hall of Fame in 2010, Lilley twice was
named the A-League's coach of the year, those awards arriving in 1997 and 2003.
He also was tagged coach of the year in 2010, when the Rhinos played in USSF
Division 2. In his 12 seasons as a head coach with the A-League's
Hershey Wildcats (1997-2001), Montreal Impact (2002-2003), Vancouver Whitecaps
(2005-2007) and the Rhinos (2010-2011), Lilley has compiled a 179-96-56 record.

Lilley's lone championship came in 2006, when Vancouver

Former Harrisburg Heat captain/Hershey Wildcats coach Bob Lilley, shown during his first stint with the USL PRO Rochester Rhinos, is returning to upstate New York for his second tour with the club. Plenty of fire and a fiercely competitive approach will accompany him.Patriot-News file

claimed the USL First Division title by beating the Rhinos in Rochester.

Harrisburg ended Rochester's 2011 season, winning 2-1 in the
USL PRO semifinals and advancing to the championship game against host Orlando.

Becher's City Islanders also claimed a 2-0 decision in 2007,
when Lilley brought his Vancouver Whitecaps to Harrisburg for a friendly that
wound up being shortened when a nasty storm smacked Skyline Sports Complex.

Rochester (6-10-10) last season finished in 11th
place in the USL PRO standings, missing the playoffs for the first time at any
level in the Rhinos' 18-year history. Rochester also finished with a losing
record for the first time.

Two of Rochester's losses — a 5-1 setback at Skyline Sports
Complex in late April and a 1-0 defeat at home one week later — came against
the City Islanders.

Count Becher among those who totally understand what the
George Mason product's sideline presence means — at practice and in games.

"They had talent this past year," Becher said. "They had a
couple tough breaks early, a tough road trip. A lot went against them.

"There's talent there and they expect to do well," Becher
added. "With Bobby going there, you know he's going to do well."